TX POLITICS: PARTIES Flashcards
A communications director who works for the Republican National Committee would represent which semi-distinct group within the Republican Party?
the party organization
Which of the following groups works within a party at the government level to set priorities and develop a legislative strategy?
party caucuses
Which type of organization supports candidates running for office under its own name?
political parties
What role do parties play in deciding which candidates will be nominated to represent the party?
They have very little direct control over nominations, though individual politicians and party leaders may endorse particular candidates.
How might a political party leverage public debate in its favor?
by framing an issue in a way that is favorable to the party’s position
How do political parties link state governments to national governments?
Parties often serve as a career network that allows candidates and political professionals to progress from state-level to national-level politics.
Why should political parties ideally be “participatory vehicles”? Choose the BEST answer.
Having politically involved members is important for determining both the shape and leadership of a party.
Which of the following is a requirement to be able to vote in the state of Texas?
You must be a citizen who is at least 18 years of age by Election Day.
If you wished to become involved in party politics by running for a party nomination, which of the following elective offices would be the BEST place to start?
state representative from a smaller district
state representative from a smaller district
Yes, several young candidates with little experience have fared well in Texas elections.
How much power do party organizations generally have over candidates?
very little, as they do not exercise centralized control over nominations or campaign funding
Which of the following connects district- and state-level party organizations to their members?
party precincts
How does one become an election judge for a general election?
The county commissioner’s court appoints a presiding judge and an alternate judge.
Which of the following statements BEST describes the nature of party system transformation?
It takes place slowly over multiple elections.
A shift in the makeup and power of political parties, often marked by a critical election, is called what?
a political realignment
The history of political parties can be thought of as which of the following?
a series of long, fairly stable periods that are interrupted by brief episodes of dramatic change
Which of the following patterns is characteristic of the succession of party systems in Texas?
One party tends to dominate elections for long periods of time.
When was the pre-party era in Texas?
1836-1845
Which of the following describes classical liberalism?
a philosophy that places a high value on the liberty of individuals to exercise their freedoms, so long as their freedoms do not restrict the liberties of others
Which of the following statements is true regarding Texas’s early years in the Union?
Texas was deeply divided regarding slavery.
What political event led to the Democratic Party regaining control in Texas?
the Compromise of 1877
How did the Democrats maintain their hold on power throughout Texas?
They used patronage systems in which urban bosses directed the voting choices of mostly immigrant blocs.
What is one trend that occurs when one party is dominant in state or national politics?
Divisions within the dominant party tend to become more important than divisions between the parties.`
What party posed the most significant challenge to the post-Reconstruction Democratic Party?
the Farmer’s Alliance
Who benefitted the most from Jim Crow laws in Texas?
Democrats
While the Democratic Party was dominant within Texas, the Republican Party dominated national politics. Which president brought the Democratic Party to national dominance?
FDR
Where did the term “Yellow Dog Democrat” come from?
Democratic voters acquired this moniker when they vowed that they would vote for a yellow dog before voting for a Republican.
What were the two major pieces of civil rights legislation signed into law under President Lyndon Johnson?
the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act
Which of the following statements is true regarding voting during the civil rights era?
For the first time, many Southern Democrats voted for non-Democratic Party candidates in the 1968 presidential election.
Why was voter participation higher in the Democratic primaries than in the general elections during the 1950s?
Republicans didn’t stand a chance in the general elections.
Apart from internal divisions in the Democratic Party, what contributed to the growth of the Republican Party in Texas?
the growth of Texas suburbs and the migration of people in from other states
What does polarization in politics mean?
Two opposing or conflicting principles, tendencies, or points of view exist on a topic, with the majority of opinions being at extremes.
What did Republicans do in 2003 to address the disparity between Republicans’ success in statewide races and their minority presence in the U.S. House of Representatives?
Governor Rick Perry called a special session of the legislature to draft redistricting legislation that appeared to give Republicans the chance to gain many more House seats.
What are “Super-Republicans”?
Texas Republicans who have carried Republican values, such as opposition to high tax rates, to the extreme
Which of the following policy ideas do Democrats in Texas support the MOST?
restoring funding to education and human services
Who has largely been against the policy proposal to require large businesses to offer insurance or pay a fine?
Texas Republicans
Which of the following third parties has made little to no headway in Texas in recent years?
Populist Party
What are the political implications of recent demographic trends in Texas?
The source of Democratic voters is booming, while the primary source of Republican voters has remained unchanged.
Which of the following parties enjoys the advantage of organizational strength in Texas?
the Republican Party
What do observers agree that Texas Republicans need to do in order to draw more support from minority voters?
adapt their strategy to embrace immigration and racial diversity
